X3 Immortal
by Catefaerie
Summary: Revised Chapters! Therese has been there from the start flashbacks to X2 with Therese added, & now she's seeing the new Jean in her dreams.
1. Epilogue

**A/N: **I've just seen X2 and have completely reworked my original- I basically deleted it and started again. This chapter isn't very long but only because it's an introductory chapter. Hope you all enjoy.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anyone who appeared in the comics, cartoons or movies. So far the only person I own is Therese (who is a telepath, by the way).

************************************************************************************************************

**Chapter 1**

"Frost speaks about the choices that one must make in their lifetime, and how, although they may seem wrong at the time, in the end they are the right ones." Professor Xavier leaned back into his wheelchair and allowed the class to reflect on his words.

"Like Jean…" Rogue said, softly.

            The class remained in silence, the pain still stinging though two years had passed since their loss.

Xavier looked towards a young red-head, her head bowed, "Therese, you are abnormally quiet. What are your thoughts?"

            Therese looked up, "I believe that everyone has a purpose, something they live to do. When the time comes, then, and only then, will you know what it is."

"That's deep…" Bobby said.

"It's beautiful…" Kitty murmured.

"Jean told me that…" Therese told them, "and I truly believe it."

            Xavier sighed, "And on that note, I think I will end this class. But I want you to spend some time on what Therese has said… I think it holds some truth."

The class began to leave. "Therese!" Xavier called out, "Can I speak with you for a moment?"

Therese waited for the rest of the class to leave and then sat in a chair in front of Xavier's desk, "Yes, professor?"

"I want to know how you are."

"Me? I'm fine."

"Rogue told me that you were having bad dreams."

"She did?" Therese shook her head, "They're nothing."

"Therese, a telepath does not have bad dreams for no reason. That is something I know. There is more behind it." Xavier leaned over, "You can tell me."

"I… I dream of Pyro… of John…" Therese bowed her head, "I can see him, standing before me… but he is in pain, and then I see Rogue and Bobby and they too are in pain. And then… then I feel a pain rip through me… and then its all over."

"Therese, I want you to promise me something."

"Yes, professor."

"The next time you have a bad dream, you tell me everything that happens. Do you understand?"

"Yes professor," Therese got up to leave and turned back, "Thank you Professor." She turned on her heel and walked out to the hall where Rogue was waiting for her.

"I'm sorry, I had to." Rogue said.

"It's okay… let's go get some lunch." Therese linked arms with her and walked towards the kitchen.


	2. Two Years Earlier

**Two years earlier**

Rogue woke with a start as she felt something soft hit her head. She sat up & looked at her roommate.

"Get out of bed, Marie," Therese pulled at her covers, "We told the guys we'd train today!"

"I'm up, I'm up!" She pulled herself out and flung open her wardrobe door, "So where are we training anyway?"

"Well, I don't know about you & Bobby, but Scott has cleared the danger room for me & John for a while." Therese pulled on a vest top & lifted her bottle of water, "Hurry up…"

Rogue pulled on her trainers and ran after her.

* * *

"Hey!" Therese flashed a bright smile at John & Bobby, who were waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

"What's happening today?" John asked.

Therese looked at Bobby & Rogue, "We are in the danger room for a while." She turned to go.

"What about them?" John asked.

Therese looked at them and smiled, "I think we should give them time alone." She grabbed his wrist and dragged him towards the lift.

* * *

"Scott, set up situation 12." Therese commanded. She closed her eyes and drew a deep breath as the world around her vanished. She opened them to a dark warehouse.

"What is this?" John whispered.

"I don't know…" she replied.

John flicked his lighter on and took the flame into his hand. They looked at one another in the flickering light and separated. Therese walked slowly around a large crate and peered around the corner. Closing her eyes, she counted; 1… 3… 4 obstacles.

'John… 4 laser guns just around the corner from you…' she spoke into his mind.

'Okay… you want to jump out first? Or you want to go together?' he thought.

'Together…' she took a deep breath, "Now!"

They rounded the corner and John knocked out the first gun, throwing a flame. Therese raised her hand, aimed at a gun and concentrated. It exploded.

"Therese!" John called out. She ducked and rolled, a laser narrowly missing her head. She jumped up and reflected the next laser back into the gun. John looked at her and she concentrated as he ran. He began to run up the wall towards the last gun, placed a small flame inside it and kick-flipped off the wall as the gun exploded.

He landed down beside her, "I am so amazing."

Therese laughed, "I did that & you know it!"

"Yeah, okay Therese."

"Oh my God! I raised you!"

"I could kick your ass right now!"

"Wanna bet?"

"C'mon then!"

Therese laughed, "Fine. Scott, hand-to-hand combat please."

"No powers?" John asked.

"Yeah, no powers."

"Fine."

Therese dropped into a defence stance, and winked at him, "Come and get me Tiger."

John shook his head and swung. Therese swung her arm up and blocked him. He twisted his arm and grabbed hers, swinging her round.

Therese back-flipped and twisted his arm up behind his back, precisely what he had been trying to do.

"Give?" Therese asked.

"Not a chance." John sneered.

Therese pushed him away and used the momentum to carry herself into a double back-flip.

"Hey! You said no powers!" John cried.

"That's not my power! I'm naturally acrobatic!" Therese said.

"Yeah right. No-one is that natural."

"Stop putting off getting whipped."

"Fine, I'm using powers." John flicked open the lighter and a ball of flames sprung up into his hand. He threw it at her, which she blocked and sent back to him. He caught it in his hand and threw it again. Therese jumped over it, towards him. It crashed into the wall behind her, distracting her. John ran at her, ramming her into the ground. She squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the pain.

* * *

"How are they doing?" Rogue and Jean entered the command centre of the danger room.

"They're starting hand-to-hand combat." Scott told them.

Rogue leaned over to look out the window, and Jean followed her lead. They watched Therese back-flip and press up against John.  
"Do you think they'll ever stop messing about and just get together?" Rogue asked.

"I don't think either is aware the other likes them." Jean replied, smiling.

"Then we'll have to sort something out."

"Is that a set-up I hear?"

"That may well be."

"I think they're going to sort themselves." Scott said, pointing out the window.

"Oh my God…" Jean murmured.

They looked down at Therese, who was now floating ten inches from the ground.

* * *

Therese felt herself land softly.

"Are you okay?" John said.

Therese opened her eyes and looked into the concern in his, "I'm fine." She propped herself up with her elbow.

John held his hand out and she took it. He pulled her up sharply, stopping her dead in front of his face.

Neither moved.

* * *

Jean, Scott and Rogue looked down into the danger room.

"C'mon, c'mon…" Rogue murmured.

They waited.

"Oh my God! Just kiss her!" Rogue yelled.

"Sshh…!" Jean put a finger to her lips, but it was too late. John and Therese had seen them, and quickly broke apart.

"Aaaaggghhh!" Rogue threw her hands up, exasperated and walked out.

* * *

"Where are you going?" Therese stood in the doorway of Jean and Scott's room, watching Jean throw her suit into a bag.

"Storm and I have to go out of town for a while." Jean replied.

"What for?"

"We're going to find that mutant that the FBI is looking for."

"What's going to happen to all the kids?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Scott and the Professor are going to see Magneto."

"What?" Jean's head shot up.

"Yeah, I overheard them talking."

"Damn! Um… could… no you're too young."

"Jean…" Therese said, indignantly, "I am not too young to protect them. I'm getting really powerful, and I'll have Rogue, Bobby and John."

"Therese, I'm not sure and I don't think Professor-" her words were cut short by the sound of an engine outside.

Therese ran to the window and spun round, "Logan!" She ran out of the room towards the stairs. Jean walked to the window and looked down at him. He looked up and caught her watching him. She pulled back from the window and turned to leave the room.

* * *

"Hey Logan…" Therese jumped over the banister into the hall below, where Logan stood with Rogue & Bobby.

"Logan…" Jean followed.

"Uh… come on guys…" Rogue turned to leave.

"Show off." Bobby muttered.

"You just wish you could do it." Therese elbowed him & ran off into the TV room.

Bobby glared at her retreating back and called out, "Oh my god! I so-"

"Ssshhh!" Rogue cut him off, "It doesn't matter…"

"What's going on out there?" John asked as Therese dropped down onto the sofa beside him.

"Oh, nothing. Logan's back. I think he's going to 'watch us' while they're all away."

"Oh my God! We can take care of ourselves! We're not children!" John cried, exasperated.

Therese placed a hand on his chest, "I know, but we've got to live with it."

"Yeah, well I hate it."

"I know Tiger, you've told me a thousand times." Therese snatched the remote control out of his hand and changed the channel.

"HEY! I was watching that!" John cried.

"Yeah, well I'm here now."

"And that's that, is it?"

"Yep."

"I don't think so."

"And what are you going to do about it?" Therese jumped up so she was kneeling on the sofa.

"This…" John rammed into her, his arms around her waist, pulling her to the floor. She struggled out of his grasp and ran off, the remote  
still in her hands. John sent a spark at her, causing her to drop the remote. John dived for it and changed the channel.

"That's cheating!" Therese cried.

"Meh, whatcha gonna do?" John shrugged.

Therese smirked and focused.

"HEY!" John tightened his grip.

"You use your powers, I'll use mine." Therese pulled harder.

John got up and started towards her, pulling hard, "Seriously… stop."

"If you let go, you won't be dragged along."

John held fast.

"Fine." Therese pulled again, but misjudged her strength. John crashed into her, knocking over a lamp and slamming against her, both hitting a wall. John opened one eye and looked at Therese's outstretched hand, holding the lamp inches from the ground.

"Tell me again, you don't fancy the hell out of each other." Bobby called from the pool table.

Therese pushed John away and ran out of the room, the lamp hitting the ground.

"Therese!" John called out, "Thanks Bobby…"

"What?" Bobby watched John leave and turned to Rogue, "What did I do?"

* * *

"You're going?" Therese stood in the hanger, "Now?"

"Yeah, the Professor's got a lock on this guy… we need to catch him before he goes again." Jean pushed her bag on board the jet,  
"Logan will watch you guys while we're gone; don't mess him about."

"Jean, we can watch ourselves."

"I know you can, & I know John, Bobby and Rogue can, but while your watching yourselves who's watching the others?" Jean hugged her, "See you in a couple of days."

Therese squeezed her tight, "Jean?"

"Uh-huh?"

"Please be careful…"

Jean pulled back, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Therese paused at the sight of Jean's sceptical face, "It's just…"

"Tell me, it's what I'm here for."

"I've been having these… these feelings. That something bad is about to happen. I don't know- maybe they're nothing."

"I wouldn't worry about it." Jean hugged her again, "I've got to go, take care of everyone until I get back."

She ran up into the jet and sat down beside Storm.

"Everything okay?" Storm asked.

Jean smiled, "Everything's fine."

* * *

Therese jumped awake, still shaking from another bad dream. She slipped out of bed and walked out into the hall. She has just reached the stairs when she felt it. A tremor running through her. Suddenly the door down the hall burst open and armed soldiers poured through. She felt herself being yanked back. John pressed a finger to his lips, looking down into her eyes.

Soldiers ran passed and John pressed into her, pushing her into the wall. Suddenly Clara's ear-shattering scream echoed down the halls. They slapped their hands to the ears and tumbled out into the hallway. The noise stopped and Therese felt herself being pulled up roughly.  
"C'mon," John grabbed her wrist and pulled her down the hall.

They skidded to a halt when they saw more soldiers pour through a door. Younger mutants turned and fled towards the hall to their side.

"C'mon…" John turned, but Therese pulled her wrist out of his grip.

"No…"

"Therese, come on!"

"We won't all make it."

"Therese…"

She raised a hand and placed a barrier between the soldiers and the mutants.

"Therese, no!" John tried to pull her.

"John, go. Find Bobby and Rogue, get everyone out."

"Therese…"

"Go Tiger."

John looked at her, amazed by the power running through her. He turned on his heel and ran.

* * *

Therese heard the sound and ran to the window, watching the jet land. She ran excited to the main hall, and waited for them to come in.  
Logan and Storm entered first, helping a mutant Therese didn't know. Rogue and Bobby followed.

"Where's John?" she asked, feeling pain within them.

Rogue looked at her, "He left… he joined Magneto…"

Therese pulled back in shock, "How could he…? Why?"

Suddenly she felt it. A pain that ran deeper than the loss of a friend to an enemy. She felt the pain of the loss of a friend, a lover, to death. She looked up at the remaining team, entering; Professor Xavier and Scott.

"Where's Jean?" she asked quietly.

"Therese, I am so sorry…" Storm placed her hands on Therese's shoulders.

"Where's Jean!" Therese cried, panicking.

"Therese," Scott pulled her into a hug, "She's gone."

Therese broke down & cried.

* * *


	3. January

**Present Day- January**

****

_Night fell…_

_And Darkness took her…_

"Ow!" Therese scowled and sucked her thumb.

"What's wrong?" Rogue asked.

"Stupid garland with its stupid pins…" she muttered in reply.

"Stop being a baby and put a plaster on it." Bobby said, struggling to carry the tree decorations up the stairs. Therese jumped from her chair and raised her hand, palm facing him.

"Whoa… Therese, I was only messing." Bobby shielded himself.

"Do you think I'd waste energy on you?" Therese focused on the box and lifted it into the air, "Go help Rogue." She walked up the stairs, the box floating in front.

She was walking towards the attic stairs when 'BAMF!!', "AAGGHH!"

"AAGGHH!!" Kurt sprung into the air.

"Kurt!" Therese set the box the right way up and started to put the decorations back in, "You scared the… never mind. Just… please stop doing that."

"I beg your pardon Fraulein…" he bent down to help her, "Anozer Weihnachten over."

"Yeah…" she replied, absentmindedly.

"Fraulein?" Kurt looked at her, "Du bist a little distracted…"

"Hmmm? Oh I'm sorry, Kurt."

"Somezing bozzers you, nein?"

"Ja Kurt… Ja."

"Tell me?"

"It's just…" Therese sat on the floor, "At this time of year it really gets to me. The fact that Jean's…"

"That Jean is gone, nein?"

"But she's not. I don't know how to explain it, but I feel like she's still here with us. And it's weird because I can't see or touch her."

"Ah, but she vill always be in your heart."

"Yeah… yeah, your right." Therese stood and lifted the box, "I guess I'd better get this up into the attic. Thanks Kurt."

"Ah, auf Deutsch bitte…"

"Danke schon, Herr Wagner."

Kurt stood and watched her walk slowly up the attic stairs, muttering to himself.

"There is somezing that you're hiding from everyone. But I vill find it out." He pulled back & changed into his real form; Mystique, "You are just a pawn, child. You are just a pawn."

*          *          *

_Night fell…_

_And Darkness took her…_

_Further than she could know…_

_Their minds moved as one…_

Therese woke with a start and paused. Fright took her… She froze; she'd felt like this only once before. She jumped out of bed and ran to the window. The grounds were clear.

She pulled the door open and ran into the hallway. She ran to the stained glass window. Again, the grounds were clear.

"Therese, what's goin' on?" Rogue stood in their bedroom doorway, running her hands through her hair.

"I… I… I don't know." Therese looked around at the now opening doors. Students looked out at her, alone in the hall.

"Therese, are you okay?" Ororo walked out to her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she looked around herself, "I just… I think I need to go back to bed."

"Okay…" Ororo led her into her bedroom and set her on her bed, "You'll talk to me if anything bothers you?"

Therese stared at the ground.

"Watch her and tell me if anything more happens tonight, okay?" Ororo murmured to Rogue.

"Yeah…" Rogue replied, "Do you think anythin's gonna' happen?"

"I don't know… all I know is that the Professor is worried about her. See you in the morning." Ororo closed the door behind her.

*          *          *

_Night fell…_

_And Darkness took her…_

_Further than she could know…_

_Their minds moved as one…_

_Entering her…_

_Revealing the truth…_

"She was standing there like she was in shock." Ororo told the group gathered in Professor Xavier's office, "Charles, her dreams are getting worse. She may not know about them yet, but soon she will and if they're as bad as you say they are then there's no telling how she'll react."

"Storm's right," Scott sat in front of the desk, "I think she needs to know."

"Oh that's a good idea!" Logan stood up, "Look Chuck, you tell her, it'll freak her out. You know what's in these dreams… it could be too much."

"For vonce I zink Logan is richt. Perhaps it is bezzer if she does not know." Kurt flicked his tail, "Alzough, ve vill have to keep an eye on her."

Scott jumped up, "C'mon! The child has a right to know!"

"But she is just that; a child!" Logan replied, hot-headedly.

"No, she is not…" Professor Xavier spoke for the first time since the meeting was called, "She is an adult. So much so that she will be joining you all on the next mission. As will Rogue, Bobby and J-" He caught himself, "She will decide for herself whether she wants to know or not."

A knock on the door interrupted him, "Enter!"

"Professor…" Rogue poked her head around the corner, "You wanted to see us?"

"Of course, come in."

"Professor, do you really think they are ready to join us?" Scott leaned over the desk. Storm stopped & looked back.

"Yes… In the coming year these young people will face more than you can possibly imagine. They will come to the fore, face their fears..."

"And…?" Storm asked.

Xavier looked at them, the honesty in his eyes laced with fear, "I don't know. Only they can decide their fate."

"Professor?" Therese stood in the doorway.

"I'll talk to you later…" he nodded his head to the four, dismissing them.

            Rogue, Bobby and Therese sat in front of him and waited. He turned his chair and looked out the windows, "You three are all eighteen years of age now and, being the oldest students in the school, you will be graduating soon. With this comes privileges. These privileges must be respected and treated responsibly." He turned and surveyed them, "With that being said, I have decided that you are old enough, and mature enough, to take part in your first mission."

"Are you being serious?!" Bobby asked, excitedly.

"Yes, but you must remember that these missions can be dangerous," his eyes rested on Therese fleetingly, "We have been known to… lose members before." Therese cast her eyes down to her hands, as Bobby and Rogue sat in silence. Xavier continued, "Therefore I must ask you to take the utmost care during this mission, and do exactly as your commanding officer tells you."

"Of course Professor," Rogue said, "You know you can count on us."

Xavier nodded, "The mission will take place in February. There will be a briefing closer to the time."

Rogue nodded and the three stood to leave.

**'Therese, do you want to talk to me about anything?'**

Therese glanced back at him, **'No Professor…'**

**'Okay… call me when dinner is ready.'**

**'Yes Professor.'**

*          *          *

_Night fell…_

_And Darkness took her…_

_Further than she could know…_

_Their minds moved as one…_

_Entering her…_

_Revealing the truth…_

_Showing the light…_

_And it was blood-red…_

            Two weeks later Therese walked into her room and set her toothbrush down. She pulled on her silky chemise and jumped into bed.

"Light's out, kids!" She and Rogue heard Logan's voice booming through the halls and smiled at each other, knowing that it wouldn't matter if Kurt checked; every light would be out just because Logan said so.

"Night, Marie." Therese called as she snuggled deep into her covers.

"Night, Therese…" Rogue called back, "Therese?"

"Hmm?"

"You need a name."

"I have a name; it's Therese."

"No, I mean a codename. Like I have Rogue, Bobby has Iceman, like…"

"Like John has Pyro." Therese finished her sentence for her.

"Yeah…" Rogue said quietly.

"I'll work on it. I've got a couple of weeks. Night." Therese rolled over and switched off her light, letting the darkness take her.

_"I know you're here. I can feel you."_

_"Why are you here? You do not belong."_

_"Neither do you."_

_"This is my world. I am the guardian."_

_"Okay, so you belong here. But your vessel doesn't."_

_"She chose her path."_

_"NO! Fate chose her path! She risked everything… for others."_

_"I saved her from death."_

_"You were already within her, taking control!"_

_"She knew she had to do it… it was her purpose."_

_"She…"_

_"You know the truth."_

_"NO! You don't understand! You have to let her go!"_

_"You want her for your own gains!"_

_"And what do you think your using her for?!"_

_"It was her destiny!"_

_"GIVE… HER… BACK!"_

****

**_The darkness crushed her and then came an explosion of bright light. A dark shadow stood before, surrounded in blood-red flames._**

****

**_"SHE IS MINE!"_**__

A/N: I know that I ended this chapter really weird and in general the story's screwed up, but I'm trying to work it so that there will be 11 more chapters, i.e. the 12 months of the year. I want to end it back at Christmas again.

Try to follow me pretty please.

Another thing- **'anything like this is telepathy' i.e. one quote mark.**

_"this" & **"this"**_,_ i.e. 2 quote marks, is most likely a dream sequence._

& finally _this_, i.e. without any quotation marks, is a piece of obscurity, poetry or song lyrics.


	4. February

**February**

A blue-tinted, shadowy figure slipped through the doors of a laboratory and slowly sidled towards a man dressed in white.

"What is it Mystique?" Magneto didn't even turn, concentrating on the test-tubes in front of him.

"It's the boy…"

"What about him?"

"I don't trust him. He's too close, too connected."

"His connection is the basis of this whole plan. We need him."

"But it's too risky. Couldn't we just get someone else?"

Magneto stood and turned to face her, "We need _her_. There have only been three telepaths in the mutant world to date. The first would be too strong for any to control, the second has disappeared and the third… the third is plagued by dreams. Her will-power struggles and weakens, and we can use that. She is connected to many other mutants; with enough force she could connect to the world. She is our power, our life-force… and he is the key."

"But what if he turns?"

"He won't… you'll make sure of that."

Mystique smirked and nodded. Her skin rolled, changing colour; her hair lengthened and turned a deeper auburn; her gold eyes turned a startling blue. She adjusted her white tank top.

"Perfect…" Magneto murmured.

* * *

_John stood at the window of his room, looking out across the institute grounds. He heard her footsteps behind her. "This is a dream…" he said._

"_Perhaps…" she replied, "But perhaps it is a vision."_

_He turned to face her, "A vision of what? How things could have been?"_

"_No, of how things should have been." Therese stepped closer, whispering, "You should be with us Tiger."_

_He pulled back, "I'm happy with where I am."_

"_But you do not belong."_

"_I am appreciated."_

"_No! You are manipulated."_

"_I don't want to go back… to be treated like a child."_

"_We're treated with respect now." She placed a hand on his heart, looking at it. Her head tilted upwards to his and she whispered, "You're powers are changing; evolving everyday. And you're not alone; Rogue feels it, Bobby feels it… I feel it."_

_Silence descended. Finally Therese spoke, "You powers need to be treated with respect and not abused. The brotherhood is using you."_

_Pyro took her hand in his, "Therese, a war is coming. A war to end all wars… and mutants will reign."_

"_No!" Therese pulled away from him sharply, "John, you and Magneto believe it will be a war between mutants and humans. It won't. It will be a war pitching mutant against mutant. You know that the X-men will fight to save the human race. We'll kill each other, before any human being is harmed."_

"_Therese," Pyro gripped her shoulders, "We are the elite. We are better than them."_

_Therese pulled away from him, "Is that what you think?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Then maybe you are not the man I thought you were, John."_

_Pyro angered, "No! I'm not a man, I'm a mutant!"_

_Therese glared at him, pitying him, "Goodbye… Pyro."_

"_Therese!" he called, watching her fade. He growled in exasperation and punched the wall._

Mystique lifted her hand from Pyro's sleeping face and smirked. Changing to her own form, she quickly left to inform Magneto of the progress.

* * *

"Marie, get your power-sapping ass outta' that bathroom!" Therese hammered on the door.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming!" Rogue wrenched open the door and let Therese push past her.

"Thank God! I've been dying to get in here for 20 minutes. Our first briefing is in 10 minutes."

Rogue's face dropped faster than Justin dropped Britney. "Uh-oh," she said, her expression showing that she had clearly forgotten about the mission.

"How the hell did you forget?" Therese exclaimed.

"I don't know, I guess with all the stuff 'flying' around at the moment it slipped my mind." Rogue lifted her arm, revealing the bruise she'd got after bumping into Kurt without her gloves on, disappearing and reappearing mid-air, dropping to the floor and hitting her arm off a table on the way down.

"Well, just move it. Professor Xavier won't be too happy with us if we're late."

* * *

Ten minutes later, Therese and Rogue rushed into Professor Xavier's office declaring their 'sorries' profusely.

Xavier smiled, "You're right on time. Please take a seat."

Rogue dropped into the seat beside Bobby, and Therese sat beside Auroro.

"Scott, if you'd like to proceed." Xavier let Scott take the floor.

"Okay," Scott stood up, "Basically we're going out to collect another new mutant. She's quite young and her power is invisibility which will make her hard to find-"

"That's where Therese will come in." Auroro cut in, nodding towards her, "Therese, you'll be the only one able to… see her. Your powers mean that you can sense her, and you can hold her in one position."

"Yeah, but not for very long," Therese replied, "My powers aren't quite as advanced as the Professor's or…"

"Yeah," Scott said after an uncomfortable silence, "but we're unsure of whether the Brotherhood knows of her yet. If they do then we could have a fight our hands- she'd be an asset to either team. Which is why we've got a full team today. That's about it. We leave in 20 minutes. Any questions?"

"Yeah, I have one." Therese said.

"Yes?"

"Does this girl have a name?"

Xavier raised an eyebrow. He'd been waiting for that question from a first-timer for a long time. Therese had seen what many before her hadn't- that this new mutant was a person; not just an object, a goal. "Yes," he said, "her name is Tara."

Therese nodded and followed Rogue out, walking towards the hanger.

* * *

Therese buckled her belt as the team prepared for take-off. Rogue fidgeted in her seat.

"Rogue, are you okay?" Bobby asked.

"I'm fine," she replied, "I just haven't really had the best experiences in this thing," she pulled at her latex suit, "and I'm trying to get used to this suit."

"They aren't exactly the most comfortable at first," Logan said, "But believe me, you'll appreciate being able to move so easily when your kicking ass."

Auroro smiled, "Logan, I do believe you're showing that you like being an X-man."

Logan growled, "Whatever."

"Okay, one more thing." Scott called back from the pilot's seat, "When we land we use code-names."

Rogue looked up, "Therese! You were supposed to come up with one."

Therese thought for a moment and finally said, "Eirana," in a decided tone.

"Eirana?" Bobby said.

"The Greek Goddess of Peace and Justice," Auroro said, "nice… very nice."

* * *

Eirana walked before the rest of the group and stopped in the middle of the deserted wasteland. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath, sensing those around her. She slowly counted each aura, 1… 2… 3… 4… 5… 6…… 7? That was her! The seventh aura; yellowish, showing fear, stood less than 3 metres from Nightcrawler.

"Gotcha…" she murmured.

Opening her eyes, she pivoted to the place were she had seen it. The space was empty. The others looked around themselves. Cyclops and Wolverine walked away, guarding the group from a surprise attack from the Brotherhood.

"Concentrate…" Storm whispered.

She closed her eyes, searching for the aura. Suddenly she felt air move past her and, focusing, she caught the end of an aura. She twisted, her eyes still closed. Rogue and Iceman watched her.

In an instant, Eirana had spun and brought her hand up as though to catch something. "It's okay, you can show yourself…" she said aloud.

As her eyes opened, the air in front of her shimmered and a figure appeared. "What do you want?" the girl cried.

Eirana walked forward, still holding the girl in place, "We just want to help. We won't hurt you."

The girl looked past Eirana, "Will they?"

"Eirana, down!" Iceman called, before spraying freeze before him. Eirana looked up from the ground at Toad's frozen tongue.

Scrambling to her side, she grabbed Tara's arm, "Come on, Tara."

The girl stumbled as she ran, "How do you know my name?"

Eirana pushed her down behind an old mattress, "I came to help. My name is Therese. Just do me a favour; shimmer invisible and stay here. I'll come back when it's safe." She watched Tara disappear and she ran out onto the wasteland.

She stopped a metal hub disc in mid-air before it struck Wolverine, who was locked in combat with Sabretooth. Ducking, she rolled away as Mystique swung for her. Jumping up, she lifted Mystique high into the air and threw her across the ground. Mystique pulled herself up and flipped towards her, kicking her in the stomach.

Eirana crumpled in pain, holding her winded side. "Stupid child, did you think you could possibly beat me?" A crack filled the air as Mystique brought her fist up on Eirana's jaw, "I am more powerful than you could ever imagine." Eirana stumbled back, blinded by pain. She heard the wind move as Mystique swung and she clenched Mystique's fist in her hand. Opening her eyes, she saw Mystique's face, filled with shock.

"You're not the only one who can sense or feel something," Eirana twisted Mystique's arm behind her back, "I'm a telepath, remember?" She threw Mystique forward and walked towards her, "And I'll have no worries about kicking… your… ass." She punctuated each word to emphasise it.

"But could you kick mine?" a voice that she knew all too well spoke.

She twisted to face him, "Probably."

He motioned for Mystique to go, "This ones mine."

Eirana watched her go towards Storm and turned back to him. Her eyes were drawn to the fireball in his hand. "Are you going to use that on me, Tiger?" she asked.

She saw his eyes flicker and felt his inner turmoil; his confliction.

"If I need to…" he replied slowly.

"I knew someone would turn," she told him, "I just didn't think it would be you."

"I haven't turned," he said, "This is where I've belonged from the start. Not in Xavier's stupid school."

"Why? Why did you turn away from us? From me?" she murmured, "Why wouldn't you let me in?" She searched inside him, feeling her way through his memories.

"Get out of my head." He growled.

"I'll always be in your head," she replied, "Just like you're always in mine."

He growled in rage and threw the fireball. She held up her hand and fired it back at him. She back flipped as another crashed into the scrap metal behind her. She swung her right leg towards him and he ducked. He swung his fist and she blocked it, catching him in the stomach with a well-aimed punch. Bent double he grabbed her legs together and pulled them from beneath her. She grabbed his arm and pulled him down on top of her. She looked up into his eyes, her chest heaving.

_She looks so vunerable._ Something pulled at his heart. "I don't want to hurt you," he whispered.

"Then don't," she replied.

"Give us the girl," he pleaded.

"You know I can't. I have to protect her."

"Then join us."

She pushed him off her and got up, "I can't." Tears filled her eyes, "I'm so sorry." She lifted him high into the air and flung him into Sabretooth.

"Let's go," Mystique cried.

"This isn't over." Sabretooth growled at Wolverine as Pyro stood and looked at Eirana.

Eirana watched him turn away and she ran to the pile, she left Tara at. Tara reappeared. "Come on," she grabbed Tara's wrist, "We gotta' go."

She stopped before running up the steps into the jet, and turned to look at Pyro. Their eyes met and she felt her heart wrenching.

"Come on!" Wolverine called and pulled her into the jet.

She dropped into a chair and closed her eyes, trying to stop the stinging.


	5. March

**March**

Therese sat cross-legged on her bed; her wet hair unbrushed, straggly clumps dripping water down her pyjama top. She cuddled a large teddy-bear to her chest; her long since spent tears still glimmering on its fur.

_"I don't want to hurt you,"  
"Then don't."  
"Give us the girl."  
"You know I can't. I have to protect her."  
"Then join us."  
"I can't; I'm so sorry."_

Memories resounded in her head, images spinning like a giant tornado; a tornado that would never stop and would wreck everything in its path. Voices talked in her head; voices that weren't her own.

She clamped her hands to her ears and tried to block out the students thoughts as they ran through the school, unaware the toll their thoughts were taking on her. The skill she'd developed over her life of blocking unnecessary noise out was slipping away from her.

She buried her nose right into the bear's fur, intending to scream to block out the sound when she felt a jolt; an old memory flooded her mind, shutting everything out.

_"That one," Therese pointed at the giant teddy on the top shelf, "Get me that one."_

_"That one? I'd have to knock down all the bottles to get it!" a male voice replied, "Are you sure you want that one?"_

_"Yeah," Therese folded her arms and pretended to pout. She looked up at John, "You promised me a teddy & that's the one I want."_

_John growled playfully and took aim. He flung the first ball and knocked the top three bottles over. His next shot knocked over two bottom ones. He drew his arm back and aimed carefully. The last ball just missed the final bottle causing it to wobble. "Damn!" he cried, just as the bottle toppled over and fell off the stand._

_He glanced at Therese just as she broke her stare from the stand and smiled at him. He leant towards her, "You cheated."_

_"Whatcha gonna' do?" she winked and took the teddy in her arms and smiled at the stall-owner, "Thanks."_

_"I thought we weren't supposed to use our powers in public," he said, when they had walked a little away from the crowds._

_"Nobody noticed."_

_"That doesn't matter. You know it's dangerous."_

_"Jeez, you sound like me."_

_"And you sound like me!"_

_Therese turned to face him and put a hand on his arm, "Just chill out Tiger. No-one noticed so we're okay."_

_"But what if someone had?" John caught her hand, "I don't want you to get hurt. I couldn't forgive myself."_

_"I know. But you don't want me to get hurt and then you have no regard for yourself? If you were to… I care about you to much."_

_"You what?"_

_"You heard me Tiger…"_

_John reached a hand and swept her hair out of her face. His hand slid down along her cheek and his other arm snaked slowly around her waist._

_She stepped closer; close enough to feel his warm breath on her face. They leant towards one another and her eyes slid closed, waiting for the impending kiss._

_"Hey guys!" They pulled apart at the sound of Bobby's voice, "Wanna' go on the Waltzers with us?"_

Therese was pulled from her memories by the gentle rhythm of a brush running through her hair.

"You know if you don't do your hair after you wash it, it won't sit right and it'll annoy you all day." Therese's brow furrowed as she listened to voice behind her. She wrenched away and twisted to look at the voice's owner.

Jean smiled at her, "Where were you? You were lost somewhere."

Therese sprang off the bed and backed away from the woman on her bed, "What? How? You…" She stared at her. "You're dead!" she blurted out.

Jean smiled and shook her head, her now long, wavy hair swinging softly, "No, not dead. Just… absent."

"But how… I don't understand."

"You don't need to _understand_, just know." Jean motioned for Therese to sit back on the bed.

"You've been through many trials in the past years, and for the most part, you appear out the other side relatively unscathed." Jean combed Therese's hair slowly, the tips trailing along her scalp and back, "But this time, you are heavily wounded and before this year is out you will have scars on your very soul."

She set the comb down, "Just remember that I am with you."

Therese heard someone call her name. Jean gripped her shoulders from behind, leant towards her and whispered, "When you need me, just call."

"Therese! Therese!"

"How long has she been out?"

"I don't know; I found her like this, writhing and muttering."

"I'm going to get the Professor."

"I'm fine!" Therese opened her eyes and looked at the heads appearing to float above her. Marie, Bobby and Tara all looked at her with concerned-filled eyes.

She sat up quickly and immediately regretted it. Her head spun and her eyes slipped out of focus. "Whoa…" she murmured, holding her head.

"Are you okay?" Marie crouched beside her.

"I'm going to get the Professor." Bobby repeated.

"Bobby, don't." Tara said, "You'll just worry everyone."

"Tara, she passed out; she needs to see the Professor." Bobby replied.

"You know what, I think Bobby is right." Therese said.

"I am?" Bobby asked surprised.

"Yeah," she grabbed a fleece jacket and jumped up, "I need to see the Professor."


	6. April

**A/N:** I know it's a long time coming… but here's the next chapter. I'm really working on this one and there's a load more to come. I might actually finish this one!! ;) Love as always, KT x

* * *

****

**April**

Therese woke with a start, springing up in bed.

"Ssshhh…" Auroro laid a hand on her shoulder, easing her back down.

"What's going on?" Therese asked, her voice heavy with sleep.

"You were having a bad dream… Rogue came and found me."

"I was worried about you," Marie sat and the bottom of the bed, "You were moaning and trying to get your sheet off."

"Therese…" Auroro brought her attention back to her, "What was the dream about?"

"I… I don't remember…" Therese's brow furrowed, as she thought hard, "I really don't know."

"Therese, you need to think. Your dreams are getting worse; we need to figure out the source."

"I honestly don't remember; if I knew anything I'd tell you."

Auroro sighed and got up, "Fine, get some sleep girls. You've got an important day ahead of you."

Auroro was almost out the door when Therese cried out, "WAIT!" She turned back.

Therese rubbed her fingertips over her forehead, massaging her temples, and ran them down the side of her face, along her right cheek, "There was a marble floor… it was covered in glass; as though someone had shattered something on it." She looked up, "That's all I know."

Auroro nodded, "Get some sleep." She stepped outside the room and softly closed the door behind her, her back to it. "She hasn't slept properly in weeks; ever since she had that dream about Jean."

"Her brain activity asleep, and even during the day, is abnormally high, even for a mutant." Xavier replied, "She is definitely one of the more powerful telepaths. And those powers are growing. Her dreams may be more than just that."

"What do you mean? Premonitions perhaps?" Auroro followed him down the hall.

"Perhaps, although I don't like that word." Xavier turned his chair to look at her, "People rely on premonitions as the future. What happens in a premonitions only occurs when a certain choice or number of choices are made. We shall just have to watch her extremely closely. Goodnight Auroro."

"Goodnight Charles."

* * *

"Okay, I'm gonna' fail." Marie cried, in her deep southern drawl. She slammed her English Lit notes onto the table, where the young students were desperately studying for their impending end-of-year exam.

"You're going to be okay." Bobby placed a comforting hand on her gloved one.

"He's right," Therese said, "Besides you know the stuff; you've studied. I've spent most of my time running through tests with the Professor."

"Oh yeah," Marie retorted, "Miss Perfect-at-poetry, you know it all anyway. You don't need to study."

"Okay sweetie; you know if you want me to tutor you, you only have to ask…" Therese teased.

The surrounding students erupted in laughter at Marie's fake shock. "Excuse me!" she cried, "I don't need your help, thank you very much!"

"Okay darlin', you keep thinking that." Therese lifted her books, "I'm going to study in the sunshine; get some fresh air."

"Be back in 15." Kitty warned.

"I will…" Therese called back as she walked out into the hall. She had just reached the French doors when she stopped, "Yes, Professor?" She turned to face Xavier as he rolled towards her.

"Very good, Therese. You're powers are improving; I was even beginning to close my mind off to you." Xavier stopped at her feet, "However, perhaps you should be a little less aware of your powers. And I think that you might benefit from not sitting your tests at the moment."

"Sir?" Therese frowned, "Professor, I think I'd rather do them now. If anything, they distract me from my… dreams. I'd rather continue doing what I'm doing, including missions; I want to continue with a normal life… well as normal as possible considering…"

"Are you sure?" Xavier asked anxiously.

"Professor, trust me. If I wasn't up to it, I wouldn't do it," Therese laughed, "Do you think I actually _like_ these tests?" He smiled. "Look," she said, "If I start feeling unwell, I'll ask whoever is supervising if I can leave."

"Very well…" he turned and wheeled away.

Therese smiled and turned back towards the French doors.  
"Oh, and Therese…" Xavier's voice caught her, "Good Luck."

"Thank you Professor," she replied quietly.

* * *

Rogue looked at the clock at the top of the classroom. It told her that the class were forty-five minutes into the exam. "Great," she murmured, "only fifteen minutes left."

She looked at Bobby's back, one row to the left and three seats up from her. He was bent over his desk, furiously writing. She looked down at her own paper, which she'd finished barely five minutes earlier. "Shit…" she thought, "I knew I should be writing more."

'Its quality, not quantity' She remembered Therese's words of encouragement which she'd given just before the exam. She looked over her right shoulder towards Therese's desk; two rows to the right, four seats back. Therese was pinching her temples with her left hand, and furrowing her forehead. Rogue watched as Therese looked up, trying desperately to keep her eyes open.

"Ms Monroe?!" Rogue put her hand up.

Auroro came to her desk, "What is it?"

"Auroro, I think there's something wrong with-" her words were cut short with the sound of Therese's body crashing to the floor.

She jumped up and ran to Therese's side. She rolled her onto her back, and tried to stop the shuddering. "Therese! Therese!" she cried, "Therese, can you hear me? Therese, you have to wake up!"

"Therese? Therese?" Auroro stood over them, looking down at Therese's shaking form. Fear was growing her heart. "Go get the professor!" she told Kitty.

"Therese?" Rogue was still calling her, "Therese, you have to wake up!" She gripped her shoulders and pressed them to the floor, "Listen to me, Therese. Stop shaking! Stop… shaking!" Therese's body lay still. "Good," Rogue stroked Therese's hair, "Now… wake up."

Therese opened her eyes. "Marie?" she croaked, quietly, "Where's the Professor?"

"Excuse me," Xavier pushed forward, "Therese, are you okay?"

Therese propped herself up, "Professor, I saw it again."

* * *

"So, you're telling us this has happened before?" Auroro sat with the rest of the team in Xavier's office.

"Yes," Therese leant back against the desk, "Just once; a few months ago."

"And you told Rogue what to do if it happened again? What's going on Chuck?" Logan asked, "What else are you keeping from us?"

"I felt that the team should not be burden with worry over Therese's… well, what I once believed to be dreams, or rather nightmares," Xavier explained.

"And what do you think they are now?" Scott asked.

Therese looked round at Xavier, and back at the team, "The Professor and I have been doing a series of extensive tests… and he believes that they are, for want of a better word, visions."

Auroro looked at Xavier with a raised eyebrow, thoroughly impressed by Therese's short explanation. An understanding passed between them.

"So what does that mean… if these are visions?" Bobby looked from Xavier to Therese and back again.

"Well… if they are visions…" Therese said, taking a deep breath, "It means that certain things are real… like Jean."

"However… a word of caution," Xavier said, "If these are merely the manifestation of a powerful telepaths hopes, then Jean's death is still valid."

"What do we do now? Do we go look for her?" Auroro asked.

"No… she told me that if we ever needed her, just to call," Therese replied.

"I think that we should let her reveal herself in her own time," Xavier said, "In the meantime, I have another mission for you."

* * *

"What is it?" John stepped into the main room of the Brotherhood's sanctuary.

Mystique slapped him across the back of the head, as Magneto shook his head. "It's terrible, my dear, isn't it?" he told Mystique, "The level of rudeness from today's youth."

"It is a mission, Mr Pyro…" he continued, pushing his chair back from the desk he was working at and standing up, straightening his jacket.

"Yeah?" John cocked his head up, "What kind of mission?"

"A team effort…" Magneto walked around the table towards the assembled Brotherhood, "We are gate-crashing a party."

"Now that's what I'm talking about!" Toad exclaimed, "Partay!"

"Toad, this is not a joke," Magneto glared at the mutant, "We are appearing uninvited at a ball, given by the President himself. Delegates from all around the world will be at it, after attending Conference at the Pentagon… on the issue of Mutants. With TV crews and paper tycoons, we are sure to get the world's attention." He smiled sadistically, "Dig out your best dinner suits gentlemen… and your prettiest gown, my lady… we're going to the ball."

* * *

"I can't wear this," Therese called out from behind a screen, "I'm taking it off. Can I not just hide in the shadows?"

"Therese, you have one of the most important objectives in this mission. You are protecting the president's daughter. You can't walk away from that." Auroro replied.

"Yeah, so get your skinny ass out here and let us see you." Marie called out, examining her reflection in the mirror opposite, "Oh yeah Auroro, I'm definitely going with this one."

"It's perfect; you look amazing."

"Do you think it will turn heads?"

"I think it will definitely keep the attention of one certain person on you all night."

"Well?" Therese stepped out around the screen.

"Wow…" Marie said quietly, "You look…"

"Stunning." Auroro finished.

"Do you think so?" Therese stepped in front of the full-length mirror and ran her hands over the material, across her stomach, "I'm not sure."

"Well, I am. This is the gown for you." Auroro stepped behind her and pulled her shoulders back, lifting her chin up, "It's just right." She walked to the other side of the room, to look at another dress.

Therese twisted and turned trying to find an angle that she couldn't criticise. Every which way she looked there was something not quite right. Marie gripped her sides and turned her to face the mirror front-on. She draped her arms over Therese's shoulders and Therese leant back into her.

"If he could see you now Therese," Marie whispered, "He was a fool for leaving you."

Therese looked at her friend's reflection and then turned, hugging her tightly. "Thank you…" she replied, saying a silent prayer grateful for her best friend.


	7. May

**A/N**: From this point on I'm going to be taking major liberties with this, so any Die-hard 'Xmen' fans may not want read it. I know that the Phoenix is the guardian of an alien race, but I needed it for the story… sorry!

* * *

**May**

"You can't go anywhere in the building without this," the tall, dark security guard handed her a pass, "You've been cleared for most areas except the West Wing. You can only enter it if the President requests your attendance."

"Thanks," Therese muttered looking down at her laminated card, the only thing distinguishing her from a tourist.

"Look," the guard said, "the thing is, security in here has really tightened up since the attack on the President two years ago and with you being a… a…"

Therese grimaced, "A mutant?"

"Yeah; well with that the agents are pretty antsy, know what I mean?" the guard looked up, "Here's your escort, good luck."

Therese looked round at the small agent walking towards her. She stuck out her hand, "Hi, I'm Therese."  
The agent looked at her, "Follow me."

Therese dropped her hand and followed the young woman through corridor after corridor. The offices were a buzz of activity; phones ringing, people shouting across cubicles, others pushing past her obviously on some important mission. "I guess this is where all the action happens then?" Therese tried to make conversation.

The agent remained silent.

"Look," Therese attempted, "Maybe we didn't get off on the right foot, but-"

The agent stopped suddenly and wheeled to face her. "Here's the deal," she hissed, "I don't like you or… your kind, and above all else I don't trust you. I'm assigned to the first daughter and you being here questions my ability to do my job, but the President requested it so I put up with it. But I'm watching you; you put one toe out of line and I'll have no problem snapping your little neck. Got it?"

Therese gritted her teeth and nodded, "Got it."

"Good." The agent fixed a bright smile on her face, "In here."

Therese entered the room on her left, where a group of girls stood. They turned and looked at her and a petite blonde said something to rest. The rest turned and walked past Therese. One of them pushed into her and Therese's mind connected with her, _'Fucking Mutant'_.

The blonde walked towards her and held out her hand, "Jenna Cassidy, first daughter." She rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Therese Flynn." Therese replied.

"Flynn? One of my girlfriends is called Flynn; Emma. Any relation?" Jenna asked.

"Actually, it's very unlikely; I was adopted." Therese explained.

"Oh," Jenna led her to a seat and looked up at the agent, "Melinda, you can leave now."

"I'd rather not, ma'am." Melinda replied, looking hard at Therese.

"Melinda," Jenna said, a little more firmly than before, "You can leave now."

"Fine," she replied, "but I'll be right outside if you need me."

"I won't," Jenna smiled brightly and waited until she'd left before turning to Therese, "I'm sorry about her... and my friends. They just don't like what they don't understand."

"Don't worry about it," Therese replied, relieved that Jenna wasn't as hostile to her, "I've dealt with it before."

"Well, you shouldn't have to," Jenna replied, "to tell you the truth; I'm more comfortable with you being here for this Ball." _'I'm more comfortable among my own kind.'_

Therese looked at her in shock, "You mean you…?"

Jenna nodded. She leant forward and whispered, "But only my parents, my doctor, Professor Xavier, and now you, know. You can't tell anyone."

"It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"I know, but it could hurt Daddy's career."

"Who… I mean what are your abilities?"

"It's hard to explain… sort of, heat sensing, if you know what I mean. I can control my brain in a way that I can see people or things as patches of heat. I can use it to, well almost, see through walls."

Therese sat back and breathed deeply, "Okay, well that brings a whole new level to this bodyguard thing."

* * *

"Miss Flynn, good evening." First Lady Joan Carling greeted Therese as she entered the East Wing that evening.

"Good Evening ma'am," Therese replied, "You're looking lovely as usual."

"Please, call me Joan." Joan turned back to the mirror and fixed the back of her earring, "And you don't look to bad yourself."

"Yes ma'am."

"Kiss ass…" Jenna murmured as she walked past.

"Hello to you too Jenna." Therese smiled.

"Well…?" Jenna turned and stretched her arms out, "Will I do?"

Therese looked at her corseted off-the-shoulder deep blue ball gown, carefully co-ordinated with a black shawl and black jewellery, "You look perfect; very… um…"

"President's daughter-like?" Jenna laughed.

"That'll do!" Therese smiled, "You ready?"

"Almost, we just have to wait for Secret Service; who aren't particularly secret."

"I thought this Ball was going to have really tight security."

"It is, but you know fathers; more protective than personal bodyguards."

"Well, actually no; I haven't spoke to my parents since they… found out what I am… and of course I've never known my birth parents."

Jenna grimaced and Therese distinctly heard a sharp intake of breath, "Sorry, I forgot."

Therese laughed, "I'm kidding! I let all that go a long time ago. Besides I have more than enough father figures at the academy."

"Ma'am?" Melinda interrupted their laughter, "We're ready now."

* * *

They were notified of his arrival by the flashing of the media's cameras outside. A hush descended upon the room as they waited for the entrance of their Commander-in-Chief. Bobby slipped his hand into Rogue's gloved one and gave it a reassuring squeeze. Rogue gave him a quick smile and went back to scanning the room for 'uninvited guests'. She giggled at the sight of Logan, looking quite a bit uncomfortable in his 'penguin suit' as he had aptly named it. She looked to the other side of the room where Scott stood, looking, she noticed, quite cute in his tux. She looked at Bobby in his own and moved as close as she could trust herself to be.

"_The Eagle has landed, I repeat, the Eagle has landed; god I feel like an idiot."_

Bobby and Rogue looked at each other and stifled laughs at Logan's voice in their earpieces.

"_But you sound so like a Secret Service agent…"_ Scott taunted.

"_Stuff Secret Service, they can-"_

"_Boys, do behave."_ Auroro silenced them. _"This is no time for your testosterone-fuelled arguments."_

"_We don't argue, we have heated discussions…"_ Scott told her.

"_Since when have you known Logan to discuss anything?"_ Xavier cut in.

"_Hey!"_

Bobby and Rogue gave each other knowing glances and smiled.

"_There's our girl."_ Auroro cut in.

Rogue looked to the door. Sure enough there stood Therese, beside the First Daughter. The daughter leant over to her and said something, making Therese laugh. Rogue felt a pang of jealousy. 'Don't be stupid,' she told herself, 'she's your best friend."

"_Wow…"_ Logan voiced the thoughts of everyone, _"She looks… amazing…"_

"_And you can't even see my earpiece…"_ Therese said, looking directly at him.

Logan coughed loudly.

"_Whoops…"_ Scott smirked.

"_Any sign of any uninvited guests?"_ Xavier asked.

"_Nope."_

"_Then do some circulating; act natural, but keep an eye out."_

* * *

"_Check-in."_

"_Clear at my position."_ Logan was the first to reply.

"_Clear here."_ Scott soon followed.

"_Clear in the female bathroom Professor."_ Auroro supplied.

"_Same in the men's."_ Bobby told him.

"_I'm clear…" _Therese checked in.

"_We have no sight…"_ Rogue paused,_ "uh-oh."_

"_Uh-oh, what do you mean uh-oh?"_ Logan asked.

"_We could have a problem. Oh yeah, a definite problem."_

"_What?"_

"_Look at the door."_

"_Senator Kelly."_ Therese whipped around to wards the door at the sound of his, or rather her name.

"_No one move."_

"_But Professor…"_

"_It's unlikely, but this could purely be a social basis. Mystique needs to make everyone think that Kelly is still around. Keep an eye on her."_

"_I'm on it."_ Logan told them.

"_Are you sure Logan?"_ Auroro asked.

"_Oh yeah… she and I go way back."_ he slipped towards her. "Evening Senator," he said loudly.

"I'm sorry, have we met?" Mystique glared at him.

"Yes Senator," Logan smirked, "We met a while back… on Liberty Island."

"Of course," Mystique smirked back, "You were the man advocating for the Mutant Registration Act."

Logan growled quietly, "You must be mistaken Senator, I am firmly against that Act."

"Oh no, I do believe I have the right… person."

Logan stepped beside her and looked around. "The small talk is a well and good," he murmured from the side of his mouth, "but I'm watching you. One wrong step and I'll be all over you." He turned his head to look at her.

She looked back and for a brief second her eyes flashed gold. She smiled, "You promise?"

"What are you doing here Mystique?" he asked quietly, as the President began his speech.

"I was about to ask you the same thing."

"You know why I'm here."

"And you know why I'm here."

"It'll never work."

"And why is that?"

"Because we won't let it." he applauded with the rest of the audience, though he did not know what for.

Mystique shook her head, "Poor, poor Wolverine. You forget… we have an 'advantage' over you."

"No, you forget… we have more than one over you."

"What? The child?" Mystique smirked, "She's hardly capable of much. Tell me Wolverine… could she have the courage to do what was needed?"

"She's a strong girl."

"Could she sacrifice what she needed to? Could she give up the boy?" She smiled at a passing Senator, "Could she… kill?" She looked up at Logan, who remained facing forwards watching the President, "I didn't think so. Face it Wolverine, these people don't care about us; if it was up to them we'd all be locked away. We need to act, and neither you, nor she, nor Xavier can protect them"

"That's where you're wrong… and I'll prove it sooner or later." he walked away.

* * *

Therese looked over at Logan, who stood beside the Professor watching those dancing. She looked at Jenna, who seemed happy enough dancing with her father. She walked slowly over to Logan and stood beside him. She leant over, keeping her eyes on Marie and Bobby, "Well are you gonna' ask a girl to dance or what?"

She looked up at him and he growled slightly. He sighed, stepped onto the dance floor, turned and held out his hand, "Would you like to dance?"

She smiled, "I would love to."

He led her into the group, "I warn you; I'm a bad dancer."

"It's okay; I'll lead."

"You do look lovely tonight," he said after a moment, "I keep forgetting that you and Rogue aren't children anymore."

"Pretty soon, you'll have to stop being our 'dad'."

"If I was your girls' father, I would be extremely proud of you tonight," he leant down to her, "And father doesn't give up his duties as soon as his daughter becomes an adult, so why should I give up mine. I… I kinda like it. But if you tell anyone that I'm gonna have to kill ya."

Therese laughed, "You know, you're not that bad a dancer."

"Thank you… I think," he smiled. He looked over her head and something caught his eye, "But I think there's someone here that you'd be better dancing with." He spun her under his arm and she saw what he was looking at, "Go."

Therese smiled as Logan walked off the floor and she walked slowly towards him.

"You look unbelievable." John looked at her, in her full length, blood red, halter-neck gown. He held out his hand and she took it.

"Why are you here?" she asked after a moment of silence.

"Does it matter?" he looked down into her eyes, "Just for now; can we just be content with this?"

She nodded and rested her head on his shoulder. He rested his chin on her crown and led her. She let her eyes slid shut as she moved in his arms, letting her defences fall. His left hand slid slowly to the base of her spine and pulled her closer. She opened her eyes and looked up at him.

He looked down and soon realised that he was losing himself in the deep pools of her blue eyes. He leant down slightly.

He was so close she could smell his aftershave, making her feel weak… or perhaps it was the closeness of his lips to hers. She parted her lips in preparation… and then felt it; a sudden sharp pain, deep in her gut. She pulled back and clutched her stomach.

"Therese?" John watched her, panic in his eyes as she doubled over. He looked round for help, catching Logan's eye. 'Help her,' his eyes begged. Logan began to move towards them.

He turned back to her in time to see her look up at him, a white-hot flame burning in her eyes. "Move." she said.

"What?"

"Move!" she channelled her telekinetic power into her hands and propelled him backwards. He hit the marbled floor hard but the crashing noise was too loud to be just from him. He looked up to where a chandelier had smashed just where he had been standing. A light cause him to look up, where a figure surrounded in deep red flame was floating ten foot from the ground, looking down on Therese. It was only then he noticed Therese, surrounded in a bright light, stretching her hand towards the figure. He stumbled to his feet and joined Logan, looking up.

"It can't be," Logan murmured, "She's dead… it can't be."

"What?" John looked at him.

"She looks like…" words failed him.

John looked closer and realised that he was, in fact, looking at a levitating Jean.

"**You do not belong here."** a voice came from deep inside Therese, **"Leave."**

"**I have come for the child. You can not stand in my way."** Jean replied, in a voice not her own.

"**I will not let you take her."**

"Professor, who is she talking about?" Rogue murmured to Xavier.

"I do not know." Xavier replied.

"**You have no choice."** Jean told Therese.

The X-men watched in a mixture of shock and horror as Therese's body slowly lifted into the air, raising to the same level as Jean's. **"I am her protector. You will not have her."**

"**You are nothing."**

"**YOU WILL NOT HAVE HER!" **lightning flew from Therese's hand, hitting Jean on the shoulder.

A battle ensued between the two, sparks lightning flying here and there, hitting windows and tables and bringing down chandeliers. Finally Therese placed a force field-like shield over the crowd, **"Leave here. You shall not take anyone while a I live."**

Jean looked at her, clutching her bleeding arm, **"Than I shall return, with renewed strength."** She took a look around the room at Therese and left through the ceiling; the way she came in.

Logan raised slowly from his crouched position and looked around himself. _"Is everyone okay?"_ he asked.

"_I'm fine."_ Auroro checked in.

"_Scott and I are unscathed."_ Professor Xavier told them.

"_I'm good,"_ Bobby replied, _"So is Rogue."_

"_But Therese isn't."_ Rogue said, her voice slightly panicked.

They turned to see Therese's body lying motionless on the floor. "Dammit!" Logan murmured picking up speed.

"_Auroro, Bobby and Rogue, get to Secret Service,"_ Xavier ordered, _"Make sure the President and his family are not harmed."_

"_Yes, Professor,"_ came Auroro's reply.

* * *


	8. June

**A/N: You might want to go back a re-read the previous chapters for two reasons; (1) To refresh your memories, and (2) I've made subtle (barely noticeable) but significant changes.

* * *

**

**June**

"Any change?" Logan stood outside the Infirmary.

Auroro shook her head.

"What's Chuck gonna' do about it?" he asked her quietly.

"I don't know," she replied, "She's been like this for 3 days." Auroro leant back against the wall, "The power that she emitted… I've never seen anything like it. She took in a lot as well…" she looked round at the figure stretched across the bed, "I'm not even sure if she's in there anymore."

Logan gazed at Therese's body, connected to various machines. "Are we even gonna' talk about that other thing?" he said, after a moment.

Auroro shook her head, "I think it's too much for the Professor to take in right now. And Scott isn't dealing with it well."

"It was Jean, though, wasn't it?"

"Yes."

They both turned and looked at Therese again. "We need to find her." Auroro murmured, "She'd be able to reach her."

* * *

'_Where am I?' she blinked as her pupils contracted in the light. She sat up in her bed, and breathed a sigh of relief, realising she was in the infirmary. She pulled the sheets back and looked down at her arms. Gritting her teeth, she pulled out the various wires from her body. Sliding off the bed, she steadied herself as her legs adjusted to carrying her weight. 'How long was I out?' she wondered._

_She shuffled to the door and pulled it open. Walking into the hallway, she realised she wasn't in the Academy. The corridor was familiar though. Placing a hand against the wall for balance, she moved forward. Every room was the same._

'_Maybe I'm in a hospital,' she thought, 'Where is everyone? Why is it so quiet?'_

_She reached a nurse's station and leaned over the desk. "Excuse me," she asked, "Where am I?"_

_The nurse looked up and Therese recognised her face. She backed away from the desk into the wall._

"_What are you doing out of your room?" the nurse asked, "How did you get out of your restraints? Guards!"_

"_No," she said, "No, this can't be happening. I don't belong here."_

_Two 6ft men ran towards her._

"_Take her back to her room and restrain her. Make sure they're tight." The nurse said._

"_No, you don't understand," Therese said, "I left here 4 years ago. Let go of me! I don't belong here! LET ME GO!"_

_Therese struggled in the guards grip as they carried her down the hall and tied her to her bed. Tears poured down her face as she tried to understand why she was back in the asylum the Professor had saved her from years before.

* * *

_

"Auroro!" Rogue yelled out, as she sat beside Therese's bed, "Auroro, something's wrong!"

Auroro rushed to the bed and read the monitor. Therese's heart rate and blood pressure had rocketed. Auroro lifted her eyelids to find her eyes dancing wildly but remaining unfocused. "I need to give her a sedative or she'll have a heart attack." She prepared a needle and injected a liquid into Therese's drip. Therese's body slumped back down almost immediately.

"What was that?" Rogue asked.

"I'm not sure." Auroro replied, "Get the professor."

* * *

John paced back and forth across his room, his arms folded. The door slid open. "Get out," he growled.

"You really need to learn some manners Tiger," her voice caused him to jump and he turned to face her.

"What…. I don't… how did you get in here?" he asked.

"Its not important," she flicked her auburn hair back and wrapped her arms around his neck, "All that matters is that I'm here."

"I thought you…"

"I know what you thought. But I'm fine."

John slid his arms around her waist, "Therese, I'm sorry for being a jerk."

"Ssshhh!" she placed a finger on his lips to silence him. She pushed herself up onto her toes and brushed her lips against his.

He pulled her closer and felt their lips locked together, like two pieces of a puzzle perfectly slotting together. After a second he pulled back and looked at her carefully. Suddenly he pushed her away roughly. He growled, "Bitch! Get away from me."

Therese smirked as her form changed shape. Mystique stood before him. "I knew I'd catch you out," she told him, "You're in some serious shit." She turned to walk out, glancing back from the door and winking, "Night, night Tiger."

* * *

_Her eyes snapped open. 'What the…" she was no longer in the Asylum but lying on the cold ground, face down._

_The stench of burnt wood and rubber filled her nostrils and she coughed, trying to clear her airways. The smell was choking her. She tried to push herself up and found something was on top of her._

_Mustering all her strength, she sat up and pushed the debris off her body. Slowly she stood and surveyed the destruction around her. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked at the bodies. She swallowed hard. Her friends, her only true family, lay still. All of them… dead. _

_Her body began to shake and tears stung her cheeks. She backed away, trying to erase the image from her mind. She hit something soft and fell backwards over it. John lay on her back, his eyes open, unseeing. She lent forward and stroked his cheek, "Tiger…" His body was cold._

_Clasped tight in his hand was another… hers. Her body grasped him tightly; her cold, dead body.

* * *

_

"Is she going to be okay?" Tara stood beside her bed and looked up at Logan.

Logan glanced at Auroro, who shrugged. "We're not really sure yet."

"She is going to wake up, right?"

"Why don't we go and do some training Tara?" Rogue subtly intervened.

"I don't need to."

"But I do," Rogue leant towards the 15-year-old, "I need something to take my mind off all of this."

Tara looked at her for a moment, "Okay."

The team watched them leave just as Xavier entered with Scott. They joined the other three senior members of the team around Therese's bed. "How bad is it?" Auroro was the first to ask the question they had all wanted to ask.

"It's not good," Xavier told them, "Her brain patterns are unlike anything I've ever seen. A mutant of her age and ability should not be able to control so much power. Her brain activity isn't natural."

"_Is_ she going to wake up?" Logan asked.

"I can not be sure." Charles replied, "Whatever is going on inside that head of hers is taking its toll on her. It could kill her."

* * *

"_Wake up, Therese," a distant voice pulled her from the deep darkness that had overwhelmed her. She opened her eyes and blinked in the light. "Good girl," the same, familiar voice spoke to her, "Now get up."_

_She felt someone help her to her feet and looked around. "Jean."_

"_Hey there," Jean smiled at her._

_Therese looked around to see where she had ended up this time. It looked like the academy's infirmary but she couldn't be sure, "Where am I?"_

"_Home," Jean replied, nodding her head towards the bed._

_Therese saw herself, lying motionless connected to monitors. She walked forward and took hold of her own hand. She could see her eyeballs flicking around underneath her eyelids and realised that they moved when she moved her own._

"_You're giving everyone quite a scare," Jean said from behind her, "Are you planning to wake up anytime soon?"_

"_I don't know how." Therese replied._

"_Yes, you do," she replied. She leant forward and squeezed Therese's shoulders, "When you need me, just call."

* * *

_

"JEAN!" Therese's voice called out in the silence of the infirmary and Auroro rushed to her side, finding her as peaceful as she had been just seconds before.

The ground beneath her began to shake and the roof began to crumble.

* * *

"_I'm coming," Jean whispered, "I'm coming to save you."

* * *

_

Panic began to set in as Auroro felt a claustrophobic attack coming on. It took just one look at her face for Kurt to realise she would have a panic attack. He rushed to her side and grabbed hold of her, whispering into her ear, trying to calm her as they slid to the ground.

The other members of the team raced in just at the ceiling came down on top of them. Silence descended upon them. Someone floated through hole let there.

The team stood, transfixed as Jean landed gently on the floor and walked to Therese's side.

She leant forward over Therese's body, gently took her hand and whispered, "Wake up, Therese."

Seconds passed and Therese's eyes fluttered open. She took a deep breath and Jean sat her up.

* * *

_**A hundred days have made me older  
**__**Since the last time that I saw your pretty face  
A thousand lies have made me colder  
And I don't think I can look at this the same¹**_

John sat up and rubbed his eyes. He couldn't sleep, but he couldn't stay away either. She plagued his every waking moment and when he slept, he dreamt of her.

Every dream was the same; she was so close, reaching for him. He could almost touch her, but then she pulled away. She told him he was her enemy, that she couldn't forgive him for betraying her.

_**All the miles that separate  
Disappear now when I'm dreamin' of your face¹**_

He stood up and walked to the window, his hands resting on top if his head. He stared out at the open sea, the moon's glittering reflection on the water. It only reminded him of her; everything did.

_**I'm here without you baby  
**__**But you're still on my lonely mind  
I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time¹**_

He thought about words that they'd shared. Some sweet, some angry. It was then it hit him. He realised that she would sacrifice it all if she had to; if the Brotherhood and the X-men faced each other in battle, she would do everything in her power to stop him. If they were left, facing each other, bodies lying around… she would kill him. And when she did, he would still love her.

_**Everything I know, and anywhere I go  
It gets hard but it won't take away my love.  
And when the last one falls, when it's all said and done  
It gets hard but it won't take away my love.¹

* * *

**_

¹ Lyrics from 3 Doors Down's "Here Without You"

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed to date; you've all pushed me to continue with this fic. I might actually finish one!**


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